Why do, if you do, prefer one fingerboard material over the others?

[Wesley R]

Rosewood

Why: because in 1972 I has a 1972, fretless P. I fell in love and came to the belief that all my basses needed a maple neck, rosewood fret board, burst and tort.

I have since violated my beliefs that were influenced by youth, lust, and more gigs,gals, and pals then an 17 year old had a right too.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

There's no wrong answer, and it's not about which is better. Why do you like the fingerboard you like? I love maple boards because I like the feel of them and I like the aesthetics. I have rosewood boards which I like too. But I prefer maple.

Your turn.

Rosewood. Mainly because 60 years ago when I was learning how to play the guitar, most acoustic guitars had rosewood necks. Since the I've owned one guitar and one bass that didn't have a rosewood neck. My Warwick Corvette the fingerboard is wenge. My 94 American Standard N series Strat is maple.

The Strat is the only instrument I've worn grooves through the finish and down into the finger board. The crazy thing is the frets are in really good shape. And it's not like I was touring with it, just home practice and some session work. Hence, no more maple necks.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

I really didn't care for maple - for years until recently.
Why? We all have our quirks - justified or not.
Coming from upright, I think dark fingerboards just looked "correct" to me - and I liked the way bare wood felt under my fingertips vs. finished maple.
I still prefer the look of dark rosewood or ebony, but - hey, if it's a great playing and sounding bass, that's all that matters to me anymore.

What's changed?
My growing appreciation for the history of the electric bass, and realization (and acceptance) that those 1st Fender Ps were all maple fingerboards.
Also; I've gotten 2 (maple) fretless basses in the past few years, and they are fantastic. (Mikey likes it!)

And as long as were on the fingerboard subject - I've also gotten over the whole "unlined vs. lined" fretless thing.

Now if we could just do away with cream and white pickup covers, I'd have no "issues" at all.

 

[kbraker510]

Ebony, it feels the best.

 

[Stewie]

I have one of each. The ebony on my upright. If I had the choice, my fretlesses would be ebony
If forced to play on frets. Give me a one piece maple neck

 

[58kites]

I currently only have one rosewood fretboard but would like a few more.
I like my maple fretboard necks but that's because they are good ones.
It seems more companies can make a neck with a rosewood fretboard that feels good than great feeling all maple necks.
The important thing for me is that the fretboard edges are rolled to get that nice soft non edge-y feel.
I also don't care for a really flat fretboard radius.
Fender 7.25" and 9.5" are good, the Peavey 8" feel great and Yamaha 10" feel right.
A wide 1 -11/16" or 1.75" nut with a shallow neck depth front to back has become my favored feel.

 

[got_the_bug]

Love the looks of rosewood, dark Pau Ferro, or ebony with pearloid blocks and a matching headstock…maple is nice with an unpainted headstock…and preferably black blocks…has nothing to do with feel, for me, just aesthetics.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Since I love my bass, I'd have to say graphite. My 6 has a graphite neck and fingerboard.

 

[Tubehed]

I like variety. I like maple, rosewood, ebony and pau ferro. Ebony and pau ferro feel the best to me. If I were to pick an overall favorite, it would probably be ebony.

 

[Muttleybass]

Pao Ferro and Graphite for the placebo effect.

 

[Ellery]

I like maple best but for me it is purely aesthetics. I don't like the look of a maple headstock with a rosewood board.

THIS

 

[40Hz]

I have necks with maple, rosewood, padauk, ebony, indian laurel, and ebonite (synthetic) fingerboards. I don't find myself preferring any one of them over the others.

 

[Maxi Funkl]

Depends on the color of the BASS LOL I have maple, Roast Maple, Ebony, Rosewood, & Wenge I like them all.

 

[LiptonJigglers]

I like them all but right now I'm gassing for a 5 string with maple fretboard

 

[GreyBeard]

I like maple, it just has a more open sound.

 

[logdrum]

Ebony is my preference

 

[MVE]

I like them all.
It's purely about aesthetics for me and how the look of the instrument works as a whole.
Not mentioned much earlier but I really love the look of a maple with some of the finish worn through.

 

[covermego]

I prefer the Maple and Brown Sugar over Apples and Cinnamon. Oops, sorry. I just kept seeing maple and started thinking of Quaker Instant Oatmeal. Can't wait for breakfast.

 

[Nightsprinter]

Ebony of all types. With a specific interest in Macassar and Pale Moon. Just for the looks.

Though to be honest, everything is fine by me as long as it isn't dried up to the point of cracking or unevenly coated with black dye to simulate ebony (always winds up looking like a bad paint job on a fence- grey porous streaks and terrible color). People who have bought cheapo import struggle guitars online (such as myself) will def know what I mean.

 

[Bassnkeys]

Ebony = my favorite. Hardness/durability and looks (I like the jet black ones especially). For my fretless, I also chose ebony to try and get as close to an upright in terms of the sound of "strings on fretboard" for jazz playing (whether or not there is really a discernible tonal difference or not).